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P. H. IIIcGIEHAN. nomnv PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. I9I6.

Patented @ept. 9, 1919.

I SHEET$ HEET I k P. 'H. McGIEHAN. v ROTARY PRINTING mess.

APPLICATION FILED MAY21. l9l6.

Patented Sept. 9,1919.

4 SHEETS- SHEET 2.

P. H. McGIEHAN; v

ROIABY PRINTING PRESS.

nrrucmon man MAY 21. me.

Patented Sep 9,1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. PATBTCK H. MGG'IEHAN, OF BROOKLYN, 'NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR '1'0 MUL'DICOLOR lNTAG-LIO PRESS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK,1\T. Y., A CORPORATION 01 DELA- Specification of Letters Patent.

ROTARY PRINTING-PRESS.

Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

Application filed May 27, 1916.' Serial No..100,183.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK H. MoGrm- HAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at borough of Brooklyn, New York city, in the countyof Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Printing-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rotary printing presses; An object of the invention, broadly considered, is to makea press for printing from either engraved or etched intaglio rolls or from stereotype or other printing surfaces carried by arotary printing roll,-all

in such ways that the press can be used either for printing on both sides of the web in its travel through thepress; or for printing on one side only of the web and delivering sections of the web printed on one side only; or for printing on one side of each of two webs as they travel simultaneously through the presswhich is intended forthe printing of paper and textiles in one color or in a variety of superimposed colors, or in, a variety of adjacent colors. The press is 7 adapted for the printing of newspaper piceither etched or engraved. or provided with detachable stereotype on other plates. In this view, the near sides of 'case-llke drlers are removed for greater clearness, and the view is one looking at that side of the press which is equipped with actuating mechanism for a doctor for each printing roll,-th e printing rolls being assumed to be etched or engraved rolls.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the press, looking at that s de which is provided with driving gears for directly rotating the printing rolls and through rotation of the printing rolls for rotating the platen oylinders which are'not otherwise rotated in use.

"bearing.

-F 3 is an elevational view, partly in section, at a line corresponding tolin'e 3--3 of Fig. 4. This view particularly illustrates the relation of a printing roll to a platen cylinder, and shows an ink or color furnisher roll for the printing roll, and a demountable ink or color pan for the furnisher roll, a doctor, and doctor-holding mecha-,

nism. The view also illustrates means for moving a printing roll from or toward the platen roll.

i Fig. 4; is a partial elevation looking toward the furnisher roll, printing roll and platen cylinder, the printing roll and furnisher roll being brokenaway and the view being partially in section through the colorpan at a line corresponding to line H of Fig. 3. This view in elevation shows atone side of the press means for driving the color rolls shown, and some of the means for adjusting theprinting roll vertically, and also endwise, and also horizontally from and toward the platen cylinder. The view shows at the other 'side of the press details of the doctor-actuating mechanism.

.Fig. 5 is a sectional view at a line corresponding to line 5.5 of Fig. 1, and shows an etchable or engravable cylinder keved'to its shaft or mandrel, and further illustrates details for adjusting the printing roll rotationally on its axis in either direction, and vertically and 'endwise.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a head block used near-each end of each printing roll, and shows devices used ih adjusting a printing roll vertically and endwise.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the head block. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation thereof at line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional elevation thereof at line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation and Fig. 11 an end elevation of a mandrel Fig. 12 is an end elevation of a printing roll drive gear provided'with means for adjusting the printing roll micrometrically on its axis in either direction.

Fig. 13 is a side elevation showing roll drive mechanism.

' Fig. 14 is a view, partly in elevation. and partly in section, showing a cutting mechanism for transversely cutting the printed web into sheets.

' versely alined arms a pro ecting from the outside edges of the side .frames. Each bracket arm" has an elongated head-blockreceiving space a formed with a side opening a to facilitate placing and removal of the printing roll mandrels. The brackets are shown with recesses a for use conveniently-in supporting the printing roll mandrel ends while placing and removing the printing rolls.

The side frames support a pair of platen cylinders which are parallel with and spaced apart from one another toform a web passage from one platen cylinder to another. The platen cylinders are above t he base and between them and the base, and between the side frames a clear space is left for passage of two webs, one to one platen cylinder and its printing rolls, and the other to the other platen cylinder and its printing rolls, so

. that when desired two websmay be run to the press andsimultaneously printed. Platen cylinder 1 has a shaft 2 journaled in the side frames, and is provided with an endless traveling blanket 3 which partially encircles this platen cylinder and extends away therefrom in an extension, one run of which travels over idlers 4 and 5, to and over an idler 6 provided with a blanket-tightening mechanism 7, and then returns by an idler 8 on its way to the platen cylinder, rotation of which drives the blanket beltwise at a surface speed the same as the surface speed of the platen cylinder.

The side frames also support the other rotatable platen cylinder 9, the ends of the shaft 10 of which are journaled in and extend through the side frames. An endless traveling blanket 11 partially encircles this platen cylinder 9' and extends away therefrom in an extension over an idler 12 to and over an idler 13 provided with a blanket tightening mechanism 14, returning by an idler 15 to this second platen cylinder, ro-- tation of which drives the blanket 11 at a surface speed the same as that of this second platen cylinder. Both platen cylinders and the blanket for each, all have the same surface speed. In the form shown, platen cylinder 1 is rotatable in counterclockwise, and platen cylinder 9 in clockwise, direction.

In the form shown, each platen cylinder is provided with four printing rolls 16, each detachably fixed on a mandrel or shaft 17.

Any desired number of printing rolls, from one. up, may be used according to the size of the machine and the particular work for which the machine is intended.

Each printing roll is combined with a pair of slidable head blocks and a box gear, an ink reservoir, an ink or color furnisher roll, and a doctor therefor; and each such combination constitutes a unit, description of one of which will suffice for all.

The mandrel 17 is tapered, and an engrava'ble or etchable copper cylinder constitutes the printing roll proper and is held to the mandrel by. a spline 18. The ends of the mandrel are reduced to form shaft extensions at each end. On one side of the machine (Fig. 2) the mandrel end is provided with a gear 19 which is in mesh with a on a projecting end of the platen cylinder shaft 2, and the other is loosely mounted on a projecting end of the platen cylinder shaft 10. Neither gear D drives a platen cylinder directl The gear 19 is mounted on a sleeve 20 wit in which an end of the mandrel 17 is j ournaled, an end of the sleeve being provided with a flange-like worm gear 21 and the mandrel end being keyed at 21 to the sleeve. Gear 19 has two laterally projecting bearings 22 for a screw 23 which is in constant mesh with the worm gear 21 and which is provided with pin-receiving holes 24 for turning it so as to adjust the mandrel and thereby adjust the printing roll carried by the mandrel micrometrically in relation to its axis in either direction whenever required for properly positioning one printing roll relativel to another to obtain requisite and practica ly mathematically exact registration of a series of pictures for example etched or engraved on the printing rolls, or any other type of printing surfaces carried by the printing rolls such as stereotype or other plates hereinafter described in connection with a modification.

The two platen cylinders are driven from a common driving gear D, which meshes with a. gear D which meshes with one of the two gears D and also meshes with an intermediate gear D that meshes with the other gear D (Fig. 2). In this way the two driven gears D are driven simultaneously by rotation of the driving gear D, and eac driven gear D drives a printing-roll gear 19, the result being that the surface speeds of the platen cylinders and of blankets carried thereby and of the printing rolls, are all the same.

Each printing roll is vertically adjustable up or down at each end, and ma be bodily adjusted up or down. It is also a justable in ably from and toward a platen cylinder in a bracket recess a these bracket recesses being elongated radially of the axis of an adjacent platen cylinder.

half round mandrel bearing carried by the mandrel support. The rear upper and under edges of the mandrel support are indicated by 27 and midway between them the cut out is formed with a dovetail groove 28 extending horizontally through the plate 25 and mandrel support partway to the other end of the latter where it terminates in a vertical transverse enlargement 29 which is merely for convenience in manufacture. By means of screws 30, a plate 31, parallel with the plate 25, is secured to the opposite end of the mandrel support. The plates 25 and 31 each has its upper margin projecting above and its under margin extending below the mandrel support, and plate 31 has a half round recess the wall of which is flush with the wall of the recess 26. Plate 31 is formed on its outer side with a vertically-chambered and laterally-projecting boss 32 the upper and under ends of which form bearings for the ends of an adjusting screw 33 which is provided with pinholes for rocking it in either direction. An approximately U- shaped slide, the arms 35 of which are assembled in slidable contact with the upper and under walls of a bracket recess a, 1s

assembled with the mandrel support 25 each arm 35 havinga right-angularly pro jecting flange .36 at corresponding edges, on'e flange extending upwardly and the other downwardly. The distance between the opposed faces of the arms 35 is greater than the thickness of the mandrel support so that clear spaces on (Fig. 6) are formed between each arm 35 and an opposed wall of the mandrel support. The front connecting web ,37 of the U-shapedslide is provided with an opening 38 for passage of an adjusting screw 39 the inner end of which bears against a. vertical web 40 of the 'U-shaped slide which is intermediate the ends of the arms 35 and the front web 37 of the slide. A head nut 41 pinned to the inner end of the adjusting screw 39 at 42 maybe used to keep the a'd justing' screw 39 from being displaced, and as the nut 41 is larger than the opening 38, it serves when, the screw 31 is turned outwardly to bear against the front web 37 and pull the head block forwardly or outwardly away from the platen cylinder. The shankof the screw 39 is mounted through a threaded hole .in the front or outward end wall of the bracket recess a in which the head block is slidably mounted. Plate 25 is formed on its inward side above and below the mandrel support with a vertical laterallyprojecting rib 43 which fits within a recess 44 in the opposed flanges 36 of the U-shaped slide to keep it from tipping relatively to the mandrel carrier and to permit the mandrel carrier to be moved vertically in the U-shaped slide when it is'desired either to adjust the mandrel at one end or to adjust it bodily either up or down. The web 40 of the U- shaped slide is provided at its side opposite the flanges 36 with a projecting lug 45 which is bored in the vertical direction and projects f into the boss 32 where the screw 33 is threaded'through the bore of lug 45 so that by turning the screw 33 in the proper direction, the mandrel support is moved up or down between the arms 35 of the U-shaped slide when the U-shaped slide is in place in the mandrel slot a".

The mandrel .support carries a slidable half-round mandrel bearing 46 which has a dovetailed rib 47 that is slidably mounted in the dovetail groove 28. The inward end of an adjusting screw 48 impinges on an end of the mandrel bearing 46.

An end portion of each mandrel lies in the concavity of one of the half-round mandrel bearings 46 and each mandrel bearing at its inward end, that is its end toward a printing roll, is adapted to impinge against an annular projecting collar 48 on the mandrel. It follows therefore that by backing out the adjusting screw 48 at one side of the machine and turning up the corresponding adjusting screw 48 at the other side of the machine, the mandrel 17 on which the printing cylinder 16 is fixed, can be moved endwise in one direction, and that by reversing the movement of the screws it can be moved endwise in the opposite direction. By turning the screw 23, the printing roll may also be rocked axially in either. direction, or turned entirely around in either direction for that matter. The minute adjustment in either direction is the important one. By turning the screws 33 the printing roll may be moved up or down at either end, or by turning both of the screws may be bodily adjusted. By turning the screws 39 the printing rolls may be pressed harder against the web, or moved into an inoperative position. The movement into an inoperative position will be by gravity as the head blocks are pulled back when the bracket arms a extend downwardly or outwardly. In the form of press shown there is one set of upwardly-extendingbrackets a for each uppermost printing roll, and such printing rolls will not work back by gravity. They have to be pulled back, and hooks pivoted to the brackets one at each side, not shown, may serve to hook over end portions of these upper mandrel-s which have to be pulled back manually to keep them in inoperaadjustable up and down in a bracket 56, the

upper end of the upstanding arm being threaded and'provided with an adjusting nut 57. Each bracket 56 is held to a plate 25 'b screws 58. The color pan is therefore vertlcally adjustable and readily removable when desired.

Each printing roll is provided with a doctor E which is a steel ;blade extending lengthwise of and in contact with the'periphcry of the printing roll if it is an etched or engraved roll. This doctor blade is clamped between two plates 59 that are held in place and 'compressibly on margins of the doctor blade, by screws 60 through the plate and through a rocker shaft 61 which carries the doctor blade and the ends of which are journaled in the side frames. A rocker arm 63 is fixed to each end portion of thedoctor shaft 61, its outward ends being provided with a series of holes 64: in any of which a cord '65 may be secured, this cord passing outwardly over an idler 66 on a stud shaft 67, the free end of the cord being provided with a weight 68. The two weights keep the doctor up against the surface of the printing roll.

The doctor shaft 61 is endwise movable so that the doctor blade may move endwise on the printing roll. 1 The doctor shaft is provided with a short; faced rocker arm 69 carrying at its fr e'endan adjustin screw 70 thatworks against anabutment 1 on a side frame. l

The reciprocation of the doctors is obtained by the following means (Figs. 1 and 4). 'S hEEEt 10; ofplaten cylinder 9 is provided with a' fixed'bevel gear 72 with which meshes a bevel gear 7 3 on a vertical shaft 7 4 the upper end of which is provided with a bevel gear 75 in mesh with a bevel gear 76 on a horizontal shaft 77. On the latter shaft an eccentric 77 is fixed and from the eccentric a vertical eccentric rod 78 having a strap for the eccentric 7 7 extends downwardly, and its lower end is pinned at 79 to the outer end of a rocker arm 80 fixed on a transverse rocken shaft 81 journaledin brackets 82 projecting from; the side frame. The rocker 81 carries a rocker arm 80 for each doctor. The free end of each rocker arm 80 is connected at 83 to a link 84: which is connected to a collar 85 fixedon the doctor shaft 61 by a screw 62. In the construction shown, shaft 81 carries two up} wardly-extending rocker arm 80, for effecting endwise reciprocation of the two doctors for the two upper printing rolls of the press. The rocker shaft 81 also carries two other rocker arms 80 which extend downwardly and by connections as described give endwise reciprocation to each of the next two lower doctors. Inasmuch as four printin rolls are shown for each platen cylinder it eoomes necessary to reciprocate the doctors for the four lowermost printing rolls of the press, and accordingly a transverse rocker shaft 87, parallel with and below the rocker shaft 81, is provided, and this rocker shaft is rocked by means of the connecting rods 86 from shaft 81 to shaft 87 which in turn is provided with four'rocker arms 88 one for each of the four doctors in question.

A, web W to be printed and which may be newspaper, wallpaper, or textilefabric, is placed in roll form on a center rod 90, the ends of which are placed, in upstanding holders 90 The web is shown extending over idlers 91 and 92 to a lead in idler roll 93 under the platen cylinder 1 and inwardly of the lowermost printing roll, which may print black. The web thence passes between the traveling blanket 3 on the platen cylinder 1 and the three printing rolls spaced apart above the lowermost printing rolls and printing in successive colors, as yellow, red and blue, for example, whereby the outward surface of the web may be printed in one or more colors or in four or fewer superimposed colors. If a plurality of colors are used they may be, and in picture printing will be, ordinarily superimposed. From the uppermost printin roll the web travels with its unprinted side in contact with the polished surface of a plate 94 which is preferably chambered for admission of heat through its intake 94:. The polished side of the plate adjacent to which the web travels, faces the mouth of an airdischarging nozzle 95 and thence travels over a preferably rotary, dryin can or roll 96 mounted on a transverse siaft 97. A

transverse curved plate 9.8 is positioned with web as it passes over the upper periphery of the drying roll and under the concave side of the transverse plate 98. From the drying roll the web is led down through the clear space a to the inward periphery of the platen cylinder 9. The web from its contact line with the platen cylinder 9 travels with its unprinted, side between the travelingblanket 11 and the series of printing rolls providedfor the platen cylinder 9 so that when the web issues from the second platen cylinder 9 it is printed on both sides, or perfected. l

In the continuous travel of the web' the portions of which that are opposed to the two platen cylindersare each fed along by contact with the traveling blankets and the rotation of the printing rolls, the surface speeds of all of which are the same. From the platen cylinder 9 the perfected web passes upwardly over a series of rolls 99 horizontally arranged in a horizontal plate drier 100 which is provided with an entrance slot 101 for the web, and within which some of the idlers 99 are contained. The plate drier is provided at its other end with an exit slot 102 which preferably, and in the form shown, opens into the chamber of a large drying case 103 that is provided with two uppermost rolls 99' which are in alinement with the series ofrolls 99. One of the rolls 99 is near the slot 102 and the other one is at the far side of the case 103. After passing the second of the two rolls 99, the web travelsdownwardl'y and goes under two 'under idlers 104, and thence passes up- 'idlers' 104 are arranged in an under set and an upper set, the web traveling over the two second sets of idlers 104, and thence passmg downwardly toand under a reversing roll 105, whence the web' passes upwardly to and I over a set of upper idlers 106 and thence away from a platen cylinder serves not only to a certain extent asa web carrier therefrom, but also as a means for disrupting mechanism the suctional adhesion ofthe web to the blanket, a condition particularly liable .to occur when and if the blankets are of rub her or comparable material.

In the printing of the web on both sides, it-

is desirable that the series of web-supporting and guiding rolls 99 and 99 should be positively driven together with the driving roll 96, the web-reversing roll 105, the feed or drag rolls 107, and thefeed-cutter rolls 108 and 108, and all at the same surface speed as that of the blankets and printing rolls in order that the web, particularly a paper web, may not be strained or torn apart. accordingly rovide the following driving fbr the feed-cutter rolls just mentioned.

passes down to a'set of idlers 106, and then passes upwardly to and over a set of upper idlers 106 and thence passes downwardly to and under one under idler 106, whence the web travels horizontally through an exit slot 103 'in casing 103 to and between a pair of drag rolls 107, and thence between a pair of cutter rolls 108 and 109.

The arrangement of the idlers and reversing roll within the casing 103 maintains a very considerable length of perfected web therein for a thorough and final drying,

and this drying mechanism may be briefly defined as a web-extending and reversing movement. I 1

V The traveling blankets which runinthe direction of the travel of the web cooperate with the printingrolls in effecting travel of the web in' addition to ,their ordinary blanket function, and especially so as the web runs from the last of .the series of printingrrolls. At a point removed from the last platen cylinder and last prmtlng roll, the web moves out of contact with the blanket for the last-platen cylinder; and if the printing roll pressure has squeezed out Shaft 2 is provided with a sprocket 109 from which chain 110 runs to a sprocket 111 I on the shaft 9'7, of;,.the drying can or roll 96. Shafts 2 aritlsitlrotate at the same speed as already described, by means of the gears D, D D Shaft 10 is provided with a runs to -a sprocket 114 on the transverse counter-shaft 115 carried by the plate dr1er 100. Shaft 115 is provided with a' sprocket by the side of sprocket 114 from: which a sprocket chain 116 runs to a sprocket 117 on the shaft of one of the rolls 99 in the plate drier. The shafts 118 of each of the rolls .99 and 99 are severally provided with sprockets 118 cooperating with a sprocket chain 119. Counter-shaft 115 is provided -with' a third sprocket adjacent the two under feed or drag sprocket 112 from which sprocket chain 113' 125 runs to a sprocket on the shaft of the roll 107, such sprocket being back of the sprocket 128 on the same shaft. From sprocket 128 a sprocket chain of the under cutter roll 108*. The shaft of one of the rolls 99 is provided with a sprocket 131 (Fig. 13) from. which a 129 runs to a sprocket 130 on the-shaft134 cutter roll 108 has fixed to it a cutter blade holder 135 that is referably formed with a pluralit of bla e-holding grooves 136 quartering y' disposed. The cutter blade 137 is set'in any one of these and clamped in place by through bolts 138. A cylindrical shell forms the cutter roll 108 and has a lengthwise-extending peripheral slot 139 through which the cutting edge of the cutter blade slightly projects, and the cutter roll shell is fixed on the shaft b suitable heads 140. A similar slot is provided for each of the blade-holding grooves. The sprocket 130 above referred to, is on the shaft 134 and is connected thereto by meansof a sleeve 14:1 havin a gear 142 and a worm screw 143, such s eeve with its gear and the worm being the same as the sleeve, gear and worm respectively indicated by 21, 21 and 23. The two rolls 108fand 108 are normally set with the cutter slot 139 in advance of the nip of the two rolls. The periphery ,of the under roll 108 or shell from'one lon wall of a cutter slot to the opposedwall 0 any one of the other cutter slots, corresponds approximately to the length of the sheet to be severed. The cutter rolls are normally set with the cutter slot in advance or forward of the paper .nipping surfaces at of the under roll, and the cutter rolls keep continuous control of the end of the web fed to them by the adjacent feed rolls 107 which also have continuous control of the web. The constant nip by the cutter rolls of. the web is important to keep the advancing end of the web from dropping and thereby interfering with the continuous feed of the web, and as the peripheral distance on the surface of the cutter roll 108 from one side of the projecting cutter blade to the other side thereof corresponds to the length of a sheet severed from the web, the' cutting mechanism performs three important functions: first, continuous control of the web; second, sheet-length measuring; and third, the cutting off of sections of the web to form sheets. If it is thirty-six inches, for ex ample, from the rear or left-hand side of the cutter blade shown in Fig. 15 on the periphery of the cutter roll to the .front or right-hand side of the blade, a complete revolution of the cutter rolls will feed and cut off a sheet thirty-six inches long. But

. if the periphery of the cutter roll measures approximately thirty-six inches and only one cutter blade is used, each rotation of the feed rolls will feed a length of web about thirty-six inches long and this will be sev-.

ered; but if two three or four cutter blades are set in the slots 136, then two, or three or four sheets will be fed and severed at each revolution of the feed rolls. By reference to Fig. 15, it will be seen that the rearmost marginal wall so of each slot 139, as the cutter-roll turns in the direction shown were? by the arrow in Fig. 15 is opposed to the perlphery of the upper roll 108 so that rearwardly of any blade or blades that may be mounted in a slot 139, a wall portion :0 and the opposing portion of the upper roll keeps the advancing end of the web nipped when there is one, or two or three or four bladesv in use. While this press is adapted for the printing of textile fabrics, yet in its application to the printing of news and book paper, various problems arise that are never encountered in textile printing machines, due to the well-known erratic behavior of news and book paper under varying electrical, temperature and hygrometric conditions. The function ofthe feed rolls is not merely to keep the successive advancing ends of the web after the sheets are successively cut' off in continuous. advancement to the cutter rolls, but by the exercise of continuous control of the web involving a continuous tautness of the web from the last printing couple in operation over the web-supporting rolls in the intermediate drying mechanism, first to keep the web from slacking on and so getting tangled up with the web-supporting rolls, and secondly to keep the web from slacking up either on the last printing roll in operation, or on the last printing roll in operation and one or more printing rolls which may be drawn back out of operation between the last printinc. roll in operation and the last' rintln roll of the series. It is to be borne in min that while each platen cylinder is shown equipped with four I rinting rolls, yet either one or two or three of therolls of each platen cylinder may be drawn back-out of operation at any time during the printing operation of the press, and then again as the printing 105 progressively advances be thrown back into printmg operation. It is obvious that if the web were allowed to slack back it would be liable to slack against inked surfacesof one or more printing rolls out of operation, and 110 would also sag on the inked surface of the last rlnting roll in operation. Therefore the eed rolls 107, belng intermediate the pr nting mechanism and the cutting mechanism as they are also intermediate the cut- 115 tin mechanism and drying mechanism-contalning web-supporting rolls for the perfected web, have a definite combinative relation in the organized machine. The chain drives herein described from gears 109 and 121 112 respectively on the laten-cylinder gearshafts 2 and 10 to or or sundry rolls and the rotary cutter rolls, as indicated in Fig. 13, constitute a series of chain drives actuated by and from the platen cylinder shafts for 12.1 synchroniz ng the rotational speeds of: the pants so driven with the rotational speeds of the platen cylinders, whereby a drag be tween freshly printed surfaces and mechanical contacting parts is eliminated. The cut- 130 ting action of the blade is intermittent and i also alternates with thesheet-measu-ring action of the peripheries of the cutter rolls.

Heat may be admitted to the plate drier at the intake opening 140, and to the casing 103 at its intake opening 102. The roll 96 which is preferably a drying can receives heat through its shaft 97 which is made tubular as shown in Fig. 1.

In many cases the plate 94, air nozzle 95, plate drier and web extending and reversing mechanism with its heat-containing casing 103 may be dispensed with. I So-called gasolene inks or quick-drying inks are commonly used in superimposed color printing,

.f and the drying devices may not be always necessary. I p

The rocker arm 63 has a reduced forward end 68 which has a slip joint connection with a socket in the end of a lug 63 which has an integral annulus 63 that is held in place on the shaft by a set-screw 62. In actual construction there are two of these slip joints, one for each rocker arm 63. The construction is one of very great convenience in that-the doctor shears and doctor can be quickly pulled out of place and,

slipped back whenever desired. The web W is desirably passed over the idlers 91 spacedapart to form a passageway P for attendants to walk through from one side of the machine to the other without straddling the web. The sprocket 127 (Fig. 1 1) is actually rocked by the worm 128 cooperating with the gear 129 on the principle of the box-gear construction shown in Fig. 12.

What I claim is: 1. The combination of a" pair of revoluble platen cylinders; a pair of separated driving gears, one for each platen cylinder, the journals of the platen cylinders and of said separated driving gears being independent; for such pair of separated driving gears a pair of intermeshing gears each of which meshes with one of said pair of separated gears one of which is located in position to be drivenby exterior driving means; for each platen cylinder a demountable printing roll having its own driving gear; means for adjusting each printing roll to move its driving gear into and out of mesh with'one of said separated gears and to move the roll bodily into and out of printing-pressure position relatively to a platen cylinder; a rotatable heating roll in the path of the web'from one platen cylinder to the other; a drying device in the web path from the initially printing platen cylinder to said heating roll,

said device being constructed to support the web in its travel from the initial printing platen cylinder to said heating roll; a drying mechanism comprising web-supporting rolls; a pair of feed rolls constructed and operating constantly to engage the web; said drying mechanism being intermediate the web-perfecting printing mechanism and the feed rolls; and a sheet-cutting mechanism in the web path and constructed and operating successively to measure the length of a sheet to be cut from the welb advancing to it from the feed rolls, to sever sheet-forming sec tions of the Web and continuously to hold the end of the web from which the sheet is severed; each platen cylinder being driven by printing-roll pressure.

2. The combination of a pair of revoluble platen cylinders; a pair of separated driving gears, one for each platen cylinder, the journals of the platen cylinders and of said separated driving gears being independent;

for such pair of separated driving gears a pair of intermeshing gears each of which meshes with one of sald pair of separated gears one of which is located in position to be driven by exterior driving means; for each platen cylinder a demountable printing roll having its own driving ear; means for adjusting each printing rol to move its .drlving gear into and out of mesh with one of said separated gears and to move the roll bodily into and out of printing-pressure position relatively to a platen cylinder; a rotatable heating roll in the path of the Web from one platen cylinder to the other; a drying device in the webpath from the initially printing platen cylinder to said heating roll, said device being constructed to support the web in its travel from the initial printing platen cylindert to said heating .roll; a drying mechanism comprising websupporting rolls; a pair offeed rolls constructed and operating constantly to engage the web; said drying mechanism being intermediate the web-perfectin printing mechanism and the feed rolls; and a sheet-cutting mechanism in the web path and constructed and operating successivelyto measure the le gth of 'a sheet to be cut from the web ad ancing to it from the feed rolls, to sever sheet-forming sections of the web and continuously to hold the end of the web from which the sheet is severed; and for each platen cylinder, an

endless blanket and rotary means for supporting an extension of the blanket at a distance from the platen cylinder; each platen cylinder being driven by printingroll pressure.

3. The combination ofa pair of revoluble platen cylinders; a pair of separated driving gears, one for each platen cylinder, the journals of the platen cylinders and of said separated driving gears being independent; for such pair of separated driving gears a pair of intermeshing gears each of which meshes with one of said pair of separated gears one of which is located in position to be driven by exterior driving means; for each platen cylinder a demountable printing roll having its own driving gear; means for adjusting eachprinting roll to move its driving gear into and out ofmesh with one of said separated gears and to move the roll bodily into and out of printing-pressure position relatively to a platen cylinder; a rotatable heating roll in the path of the web from one platen cylinder to the other; a drying device in the web path from the initially printing platen cylinder to said heating roll, said device being constructed to support the web in its travel from the initial printing platen cylinder to said heating roll; a dry lng sections of the web, and continuously to hold the end of the-web from which the sheet is severed; said cutting mechanism comprising a pair of cutter rolls, one being an abutment roll and the other a lengthwisechambered blade-carrying roll, the latter having a lengthwise-extending slot and being provided with a lengthwise-extending cutter blade which extends through said slot; each platen cylinderfbeing driven by printing-roll ressure.

4. The com ination ofa pair of revoluble platen cylinders; a air of separated driving gears, one for eac platen cylinder, the journals of the platen cylinders andof said separated driving gears being independent; for such pair of separated driving gears a pair of intermeshing gears each of which meshes with one of sa1d pair of separated gears one of which is located inposition to be driven by exterior driving means; for each platen cylinder a demountable printing roll having its own driving gear;

means for adjusting each printing roll to move its driving gear into and out of meshwith one of said separated gears and to move the 'roll bodily into and out of printing-pressure position relatively to a platen cylinder; a rotatable heating roll in the path of the web from one platen cylinder to the other; a drying device in the web path from the initially printingplaten cylinder to said heating roll, said device being constructed to support the web in its travel from the initial printing platen cylinder to said heating roll; a drying mechanism comprising web-supporting rolls; a pair of feed rolls constructed and operating constantly to engage --the web; said drying mechanism being intermediate the web-perfecting printingmechanism and the feed rolls; and a sheet-cutting mecha- 5. The combination of a pair of revolu- I ble platen cylinders, a pair of separated driving gears one for each cylinder, the journals of the platen cylinders and of said pair of separated drivlng gears bein independent; for such pair of separated riving gears a pair of intermeshing gears each of which meshes with one of said pair'of separated gears; for each platen cylinder a demountable printing roll having its own driving gear; means for adjusting each printing roll to move its drivin gear into and out of mesh with one of said separated gears; a rotatable heating roll in the path of the web from one platen cylinder to the other; a pair of feed rolls constructed and operating constantly to engage the web as it comes from the last printing couple in operation and to advance the web to a sheetcutting mechanism; and said sheet-cutting mechanism in the web path and constructed and operating successively to cut off sections of the web into sheet form of equal size and continuously to hold the end of the web from which the sheets are successively severed; the feed rolls also operating continudusly to keep the web coming from the last printing couple in operation from slackening back in relation to the inked printing roll of said printing couple, or in relation to a printing roll which is out of action intermediate the last printing roll in operation and the feed rolls.

6. The combination of a plurality of rotary printing couples, a pan of separated driving gears, one for each platen cylinder, the journals of the platen cylinders and of said separated driving gears being independent; for such pair of separated drivin gears a pair of intermeshing gears each 0 which intermeshes with one of said pair of separated gears one of which is located in position to be driven by exterior driving means; with a pair of feed rolls and a rotary sheet-measuring, severing, and web- -nipping mechanism, the feed rolls being intermediate such mechanism and the printingcouple, and being constructed and operating continuously to advance a web to said mechanism and to hold the web taut between itself and said printing cou le whereby the web is prevented from slac 'ng back upon the printing roll of said couple, said .feed rolls also continuously moving the web to the said 'mechanism and the latter consaid separated driving gears being mole-- pendent; for such pair of separated driving gears a pair of intermeshing gears each of which meshes with one of said pair of separated gears one of which is, located in position to be driven by exterior driving means; for each platen cylinder a demountable printing roll having its own driving gear; means for adjusting each printing roll to move its driving gear into and out of mesh with one of said separated gears and to move the roll bodily into and out of printing-pressure position relatively to a platen cylinder; a rotatable heating roll in the path of the web from one platen cylinder to the other; a drying device in the web path from the initially printing platen cylinder to' said heating to 1, said device being constructed to support the web in its travel from the initial printing platen cylinder to sead heating roll; a drylng mechanism comprising web-supporting rolls; a pair of feed rolls constructed and operating constantly to engage the web; said drying mechanism being intermediate the web-perfecting printing mechanism and the feed rolls; and a sheet-cutting mechanism in the web path and constructed and operating successively to measure the length of a sheet "to be cut from the web advanc ing to it from the feed rolls, to sever sheetforming sections of the web, and continuously to hold the end of the web from which the sheet is severed; each platen cylinder being driven by printing-roll pressure; a chain-drive mechanism operatively. connecting the shaft of one of the platen cylinders with a shaft of the rotatable heating roll, a chain-drive mechanism deriving motion from rotation of a platen cylinder and communicating it to the feed rolls, and a a platen cylinder.

chain-drive mechanism from the feed rolls to asheet-cutting mechanism, all constructed and operating to synchronize the rotatlon of the heating roll and of the feed rolls, and

the operative movements of a sheet-cutting mechanism with the rotational speed of a 8. The combination of a pair of revoluble platen cylinders a pair of separated driving gears, one for each platen cylinder, the j ournals of the platen cylinders and of said separated driving gears being independent; for such pair of separated driving gears a pair of .intermeshing ears each of which meshes with one of sald pair of separated gears one of which is located in position to be driven by exterior driving means; for each platen cylinder a de'mountable printing roll having its own driving gear; means for adjusting each printing roll to move its.

driving gear into and out of mesh With one of said separatedgears and to move the roll bodily into and out of printing-pressure posi tion relatively to a platen cylinder; a rotatable heating roll in the path of the Web from one platen cylinder to the other; a drying device in the web path from the initially printing platen cylinder to said heating roll, said device being constructed to support the Web in its travel from the initial printing platen cylinder to said heatin roll; a drying mechanism comprising we -suppqrting rolls; a pair of feed rolls constructed and operating constantly to engage the web;

said drying mechanism being intermediate platen cylinder being driven by printingroll pressure; .a chain-drive mechanlsm operatively connecting the shaft of one of the platen cylinders with a shaft of the rotatable heating roll, a chain-drive mechanism deriving motion from rotation of a platen cylinder and'communicating it to the feed rolls, and a chain-drive mechanism fromthe feed rolls to a sheet-cutting mechanism, all constructed and operating to synchronize the rotation of the heating roll and of the feed rolls, and the operative movements of a sheet-cutting mechanism with the rotational speed of a platen cylinder, and the-chain-drive mechanism deriving motion from a platen cylinder and communicating it to the web-supporting rolls'of the drying mechanism.

9. The. combination of a plurality of rotary printing couples, a pair of separated driving gears, one :for each platen cylinder, the journals of the platen cylinders and of said separated driving gears being independent; for such pair of separated driving-j gearsa pairof intermeshing gears each of which intermeshes with one of said pair of nism and to hold the web taut between itself and said printing couple whereby the web is. prevented from slacking back upon the printing roll of said couple, said feed rolls also continuously moving the web to the said mechanism and the latter continuously holding the web, and the cutting function of said mechanism being performed intermittently and alternately with the sheetmea'suring function; mechanism operatively connecting the feed rolls with a member of the printing couple for synchronizing the speed of such couple and of the feed rolls; and mechanism operatively connecting a member of said printing couple with the rotary sheet-measuring, severing and webnipping mechanism for synchronizing the movements thereof with the speed of said printing couple. 7

'10. The combination of a pair of rotary printing couples; a pair of separated driving gears, one for each platen cylinder, the journals of the platen cylinders and of said separated driving gears being independent;

for such pair of separated driving gears a pair of intermeshing gears each of which intermeshes with one of said pair of separated gears one of which is located in position to be driven by exterior driving means; with a pair of feed rolls and a rotary sheetmeasuring, severing and web-nipping mech-' anism, the feed rolls being intermediate such mechanism and the printing couples, and being constructed and operating continuously to advance a web to said mechanism and to hold the web taut between itself and said printing couple whereby the web is prevented from slacking back upon a printing roll, said feed-rolls also continuously mov- 40 ing the web to said mechanism and the latter continuously holding the web, and the cutting function of said mechanism being performed intermittently and alternately with the sheet-measuring function; mechanism for synchronizing the rotation of said mechanism with the rotation of a printing couple; and mechanism for synchronizing the rotation of the feed rolls with the rotation of the printing couple.

11. The combination of a plurality of rotarynprinting couples, a pair of separated driving gears, one for each platen cylinder, the journals of the platen cylinders and of said separated driving gears being independent; for such pair of separated driving gears a pair of intermeshing gears each of which intermeshes with one'of-said pair of separated gears one of which is located in position to be driven by exterior driving means; and mechanism constructed and operating to move the printed web away from the printing couple with an intermediate plate having a polished surface opposed to the web and constructed and operating to support and heat and iron the unprinted side of the web in its travel from said printing couple to said mechanism.

12. The combination of a pair of rotatable platen cylinders; means comprising printing rolls for rotating them simultaneously in opposite directions; a revoluble heating roll in the web path from one platen cylinder to the other; a heating plate in the path of said web from one cylinder to the other; and a hot air discharge opposed to said plate.

13. The combination of a pair of rotatable platen cylinders; means comprising printing rolls for rotating them simultaneously in opposite directions; a revoluble heating roll in the web path from one platen cylinder to the other; a heating plate in the path of said web from one cylinder to the other; a hot air discharge opposed to said plate; and a plate above the heating roll. I

14. The combination of a pair of rotatable platen cylinders; means comprising printing rolls for rotating them simultaneously in opposite directions; a revoluble heating roll in the web path from one platen cylinder to the other; a heating plate in the path of said web from one cylinder to the other; a hot air discharge opposed to said plate; a plate above the heating roll; a plate drier through which the printed web travels; a pair of driving rolls; a rotary cutter; for each platen cylinder a traveling blanket having an extension away from its cylinder; and means for rotating the driving rolls and rotary cutter at-the same rate of speed as that of the traveling webs and printing rolls.

15. A pair of revoluble platen cylinders; for synchronizing the rotation of the platen cylinders a platen-cylinders-rotating mechanism comprising a pair of separated driving gears one for each platen cylinder, the journals of the platen cylinders and of said separated driving gears bein independent; and for such pair of separated driving gears a pair Ofiinte'rmeshing gears each of which meshes withone of said pair of separated gears one of;';;rvhich is located in position to be driven by exterior' driving means; all in combination with a demountable printing roll for each platen cylinder; the printing roll having its own driving gear; means for for synchronizing the rotation of the platen cylinders a platen-cylinders-rotating mechawith the platen cylinders.

nism comprising a pair of separated driving gears one for each platen cylinder, the journals of the platencylinders and of sald separated driving gears being independent; and for such pair of separated driving gears a pair of interineshing gears each of which meshes with one of said pair of separated gears one of which is located in position to be driven by exterior driving means; all in' combination with a demountable printing roll for each platen cylinder; the printing roll having its own driving gear; means for ad ustmg each printing roll to move its driving gear into and out of mesh with one of the platen cylinders; and a rotary cutting mechanism provided with a rotationally adustable member; and means for drivlng the rotary cutting mechamsm synchronously 17. A pair of revoluble platen cylinders;

for synchronizing the rotation of theplaten cylinders a platen-cylinders-rotatinginechanism comprising a pair of separated'driving gears one for each platen cylinder, the j'ournals of the platen cylinders and of said separated driving gears being independent; and for such pair of separated driving gears a pairof intermeshing ears each of which meshes with one of said pair of separated gears one of which is located in position to be driven by exterior driving means; all in combination with a demountable printing roll for each platen cylinder; the printing roll having its own drlving gear; means for adjusting each printing roll to move its driving gear into and out of mesh with one of said separated gears and to move the roll bodily into and out of printing pressure position relatively to a platen cylinder; a rotatable heating roll in the path of the web from one platen cylinder to the other; and a drivingmeans connecting one of the separated drivinggears withthe rotatable heatlng roll for rotating the latter synchronously with the synchronized rotation of the platen cylinders; and a rotary cutting mechanism comprising a hollow roll proyided with a plurality of lengthwise-extendmg slots and with a cutter blade carrier constructed to hold a plurality of cutter bllades each projecting through one of said s ots;

18. In a web-perfecting superimposedmulticolor printing press, the combination of a plurality of platen cylinders spaced apart one from the other; a plurality of printing rolls for eachplaten cylinder; each printing roll being provided with a gear; for each platen cylinder a star gear with which all of the gears of the printing rolls working with such platen cylinder are in mesh; a mechanism common to both star gears and constructed to rotate them simul taneously in opposite rotational directions; and means for supporting a web to be printed from one platen cylinder and its printing rolls to the other platen cylinder and its printing rolls.

19. In the structure of claim 18,,a rotary cutting mechanism; and mechanism operatively connected with and driven from a star gear shaft for rotating the cutter coincidently with the rotation of the platen cylinders and their respective printing rolls.

20. In the combination of claim 18, the means for supporting a web to be printed from one platen cylinder and its printing rolls to the other platen cylinder and its printing rolls, being rotar 21. In the structure of claim-18, a transverse printed-web-drying apparatus.

22. In the structure of claim 18, a doctor and doctor-actuating lnechanism forthe printing roll of each printing couple.

28. In the structure of claim 18, a doctor for the printing roll of each printing couple, and a doctor-actuating mechanism common to. all the doctors, and means for actuatin the doctor-actuating mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of May 1916.

PATRICK H. MGGIEHAN. 

